Door or gate latch.



A. R. PETERSON.

DOOR QR GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

M; liar/$527507;

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PH TO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITE I sra'frnsannr onsta ALBERT RAY PETERSON, 'oE MInnEN, NEBRASKA.

noon on GATE LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1914. Serial No.s15,e22.

enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful door or gate latch. V i An object of the invention is to provide an improved latch, which may be applied to either a laterally or vertically swinging door or gate, or tea sliding door or gate,

the same being arranged or applied in a similar manner in all three instances.

In practical fields the details of construetion may necessitate alterations, falling" within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a viewin elevation showing the improved latch as applied to a laterally swinging gate. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view, clearly showing the latch construction, and the means for automatically locking the latch. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a gravity latch locking plate. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the latch applied to a vertically swinging ate.

g Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a post, which may in some instances be a door frame. The latch 2 is provided with a slot 3 to receive the pivot bolt 4, on which the latch is pivoted, there being a spring 5 to hold the latch so that the end 6 of the slots will always engage the pin 4. This spring 5 connects to the latch at 7 and to the gate or door at 8, and not only holds one endof the slot normally in engagement with the bolt, but also holdsthe portion 9 of thelatch normally in engagement with the abutment 10. A keeper arched strap 11 is bolted to the gate or movable member as at 12 and acts as a guide for the latch end of the latch. The latch end of the latch is provided with a notch 14, which engages the notch or recess 15 of the latch plate 16, which is secured to the post 1, as at 17 As the gate or door is swung to a closed position, the crotch of the notch 14 engages the inclined edge 18, raising the PatentedNev. s, 1914.

latch, so as to cause the notches 14 and 15 H to engage one another, thereby locking the gate or door. If the latch and gate are arranged so as to permit the gate toswing in a reverse direction, the notch l4 slides upon the inclined edgeLlS) of the plate'l6, so that thenotches 14- and15 will engage one another. If the gate or door is constructed to slide, then the inclined edge 20 of the latch willengage the notch 15, thereby raising the'latchto permit the notches 14 and 1 5 to engage. Ifthe gate. or'door is arranged to swing vertically, then-(thelatch operates or falls'ain engagement with the notch of the plate 16,'Ias indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 4,;lthereby pushing the same rearwardly against the action of the spring 5, to permitthe notches l4 and i 15 to engage. Securefd'to the gate as at 22 is a handle 23, by which the gate may be manipulated. I The rearend of the latch is constructed with a thumb piece 24, so that the latch may be tilted or pushed rearwardly, so as to render it possible tojopen the gate. t

It is evident that the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may also be applied to a sliding gate.

The slot 3 is constructed with an oifset recess 3 to receive the pivot pin 4 to hold the latch thrown backward.

When the gate is thrown to a closed, position the latch will engage the inclined edges of the plate 16, and slide upwardly upon the same so that said notches will cotiperate. But before the notches 14 and 15 can engage, the latch throws the gravity latch locking plate from its path, and after the notches do engage, said latch locking plate falls or returns to its normal position above the latch. thereby preventing the latch beingtilted by an animal. This latch locking plate comprises two parts 25 and 26 hinged together at 27 the part 25 is pivoted at 28 to the fence post 1. The part 26 is hinged in such a manner, as shown in Fig. 8 as to only the fence post, but not in the opposite direction. When it is desired to open the gate the latch locking plate at one body is swung permit the same to swingin the recess SOof ing a swinging gate, the latch knocks the latch locking plate from its path. In closing a sliding gate the latch tilts the part 26 inwardly of the recess 30 of the post 1. In closing a vertically tilting gate, the latch engages as shown in dotted lines with the latch locking plate, and is pushed rearwardly against the action of the spring 5, but as the nose of the latch comes in contact with the tilting part 26, said part is thrown inwardly of the recess 30, thereby permitting the notches to cooperate.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed'as new and useful is:

In combination, a stationary member and a. movable element, the stationary member having a recess in one face, a, plate secured to the face in which said recess is formed and extendingpartially upwardly across the recess, said plate having a notch, a second plate secured to the stationary member above the'recess and provided with a pivoted device extending partially downwardly across the recess, said pivoted devicebeing designed to swing into said recess, a latch mounted upon the movable member and having slidable and pivotal connections therewith, said slidable pivotal connections including an elongated slot having an ofiset recess, spring tensioning means for holding the latch so that the pivotal connection will engage the end of the slot opposite the offset recess, a keeper strap arching over the latch, said latch being provided with an inclined forward end and a notch, which is designed to engage the notch of the first plate on the stationary member, said pivoted device, constituting means to hold thenotches ofthe latch and said first plate in cooperation, said pivoted device being adapted to swing inwardly ofthe recess to permit said notches to cooperate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT RAY PETERSON.

Vvitnessesz PERRY S; HAMILTQN, CHARLES A. GHAPPELL.

' Copies of this patcnt may "be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.' 

